Overview
- The Paso Internacional Cristo Redentor was closed preventively to all vehicle types after authorities staged the shutdown by first blocking the Uspallata control barrier and then sealing the international tunnel.
- Argentine and Chilean border and road agencies applied established binational safety protocols and said reopening depends on joint technical assessments of route clearing, visibility and ice conditions.
- Meteorological models and local reports warned of heavy snow and very low highs in the high‑mountain sector, with forecasts noting possible minima down to about −11°C and observations of subzero temperatures at sites such as Las Cuevas and Puente del Inca.
- The closure suspends freight, long‑distance buses and private crossings between Mendoza and Chile and has prompted travelers and carriers to reprogram trips or seek alternatives; reports differ on the Paso Pehuenche’s status, with official bulletins initially listing it open on winter hours and later local reporting saying it was also inactivated by intense snow.
- Authorities urged people not to travel to high‑mountain crossing points and to follow official bulletins for updates, noting that the corridor could reopen only after joint technical and meteorological clearance, with forecasts suggesting conditions may improve by Friday but remain changeable into the weekend.